Grate structure



G. c. KEowN 2,346,586

GRATE STRUCTURE April 11, 1944.

Filed April' 5, 1941 ky' /8 nu nnnn M `nnnnnn ff UDDUUD 'IgM/umm l fyemyefo W72 Patented Apr. 11, 1944 UNITED vSTATES PATENT OFFICE GRATE STRUCTURE George Clayton Keown, Albert Lea, Minn., as-

sgnonby direct and mesne assignments. to Master Combustor Company, Albert Lea, Minn., a corporation of Minnesota y Y Application Api-i115, 1941, serial No. 387.089

1 claim. (o1. 12e-16s) 1 This invention relates to improvements in the class of stoves and furances and pertains particularly to an improved grate structure.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide an improved compound or duplex grate structure which provides a novel and improved means of shaking or discharging ashes therefrom and also of providing a novel means of supplying to the burning fuel a greater quantity of air than it is possible to furnish through a grate of ordinary construction, so that'the burning of the fuel will be made more nearly complete and the possibility of the development of clinkers and of explosive gases is avoided.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved grate structure which includes a'l central reciprocable or sliding section which` is movable in the plane of the grate to open aseotion thereof, together with a pyramidal apertured body supported centrally upon the grate wherebyto introduce additional air into the body of the fuel mass lying on the grate for the purposeof improving the combustion, the saidf reciprocable portion of the grate being movable beneath and independently of the pyramidal body whereby a partial dumping of the grate may be accomplished without interference from the combustion improving portion of the structure.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved compound or duplex grate structure of the character stated which is designed to be`V rotated in a horizontal plane and to be partially opened in the manner stated and which is 'also readily adaptable to any type of stove or furnace whether the same be gravity-fed or hand-fed andl whether the same be provided with a forced draft or natural draft means.

, The invention will be best understood from ay consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, it being understood, however, that the in. vention is not to be considered as limited by theV Referring now more particularly to the drawing, the numeral I generally designates the c onventionally illustrated fire box.l No fuel or air supply means-has been illustrated since this forms no part of the present invention and it will be understood thatany suitable type of fuel feed may b'e employed as Well as any suitable form of means for admitting air to the under side of the grate. l Y

Within the re box there is provided a suitable annular support for the grate, which is indicated generally by the numeral 2,A and which as shown, is in the form of an angle iron having an inwardly extending flange portion 2a on which the grate rests.V This ange portion provides means `not only of supporting thegrate but of facilitating the rotation of the grate, within prescribed limits, when it is desired to `shake Vthe ashes therethrough. `The grate structure is made up of two units which are indicated by the numerals 3 and 4, respectively, and which may be defined as the grate and combustor units. The grate proper comprises an annular frame or vrim 5 designed tofrest upon the flange 2a; across-which extend in spaced parallel relation and upon lthe opposite sides of the radial centerfthe two bars 6 which have their opposed or inner faces provided with guide groovesA or slots 1. At one side of the grate frame, the frame is out out,` as indicated at 8, through-a circumferential extent equaling the width ofthe space between the barst. so that the ends of the guide slots 1 openthrough the periphery of the grate or through Athe frame 5 for alinement with a horizontal slot 9 formed in the wall of the re box I. This slot 9 provides a means of withdrawing the hereinafter describedr shiftable portion of the grate when it is desired to dump a part of the fuel charge, it being understood that the open end of the areabetween the bars 6, which-area is designated A, normally is alined with the slot 9 of the rebox wall.

Upon the outer side of each ofthe bars .6 are arranged the spaced grate bars I 0 while -between the gudebars B is located the shiftable portion of the grate which is indicated generally by the numeral 3a and which comprises a centrally cutout section of the completed annular grate structure, having outer side rails Il, each of which is provided with a flange I2 which has sliding engagement in agroove l, the transverse front and rear end portions I3 and I4 connecting the side rails and the bars I5, which parallel the rails II and the bars I0. This reciprocable portion when fully inserted has the cross-bar I4 thereof in position to form a continuation of Y the rim 5 of the grate and it will, therefore, be seen that the grate as a whole may be turned or oscillated on the supporting flange 2. To the bar I4 is secured an outwardly extending handle IB which passes through the vslot 9 and facilitates boththe reciprocation of the movable portion of the grate and the turning of the grate as a whole. f f

The combustor unit 4 is in the form of a hollow frusto pyramidal body which is made up of the four substantially triangular side portions which are joined together by tongue and groove connections while the top of the frustum isV closed by the slotted or apertured -rectangular plate IB. The side walls and top have therein air admission apertures I9 as' shown,v while thel Ibottom of the frustum is open and receives air through the spaces between the bars I5. width of the frustum is slightly greater than the opening A, so that the opposite sides 'of the body 4 rest upon the guide rails or bars Those side walls II which restupon the bars 6 are provided with 4bolt. receiving openings 20 and each opening has engaged therein lthe hooked end of a J-bolt 2I, the threadedjshank portion of which extends downwardly between the adjacent bar 6 and a grate bar Ill to. receive a securing nut 22 which engages the underV sides of the bars and binds the combustion body 4 firmly into position on the grate. The combustion body as shown, is placed in the exact center of the grate and thus it willu be readily apparent that when fuel/is thrownv in on the grate, it will pile up and be evenly .distributed around the center and an ample` supply of air will be furnished to the interior of the mass of fuel which will bring about the more `nearly complete combustion thereof with the elimination of clinkers and the development of dangerous gases which are the result of incomplete combustion.V v o It will bereadily apparent from the foregoing that when the entire duplex grate structure is to be shaken, this may be accomplished when.

the reciprocable'portion` 31` of the grate is `fully nserted,. by lateral movement of the handle I6, so as to rotate the grate, and that when a por. tion of the fuel ,bodyis to be discharged or dumped, this may be readily accomplished by bringing the grate back to -a position where the handle I6 will be centered in the. opening or.

' g slot s and then withdrawing the shiftable poi-4 tion 3a of the grate to the desired extent. In

all of theseKL operations the fuel combustor willy be maintained in its. central position and will well known conical type of feeder, which feeder bustion and which might possibly result in the formation of clinkers. In other words, the turning action of the combustor unit acts as a pulverizing means for clinkers so that the burning fuel or ashes will be kept in small pieces and choking of the fire box will not occur but on the other hand, the freer passage of air through the fuel will be permitted. It will also be apparent that where the cone or combustor unit is used in a fire box or fire pot in association with the would, of course, come down to a position in the re box where the upper end of the cone would clogging of the fuel around the top of the cone. {While the top of the combustor cone has been I ,e illustrated as having air or draft openings I8, it

'is also contemplated to provide cones with a solid top body. This would function to prevent air from passing directly upwardly through the cone into the overlying bed of unburned fuel, particularly where the cone may be extended into a self-feeder unit and causing the fuel to ignite in the feeder or above the top of the cone. ItA

would also function to keep the fuel lying above the cone at a lower temperature so as to eliminate any possibility of the fuel becoming coked due to excessive heat that might otherwise pass up through the fuel.

No means has been illustrated for introducing a draft into the lower part of the fire pot below the grate. Draft air may be allowed to enter by the usual ash pit door or it may be introduced through a suitable conduit under force. In using a forced draft with the present grate it would be introduced directly into the cone or combustor and consequently, the cone would become a draft distributor and since the vents are of equal numberl and size on all sides of the cone, the introduced draft wouldl be uniformly distributed for passage through the burning fuel bed.

What is claimed is: l

Av structure of the character stated for disposition within a re box, comprising a flat grate unit, means for supporting the grate unit for turning on a vertical axis, a body disposed upon the top of the grate unit at the center `thereof and comprising four upwardly and inwardly inclined walls secured together at their adjacent edges, a flat top wall disposed between and coupling the top edges of the side walls, .the body being secured to the grate to turn therewith and' the corners thereof functioning uponr the turningr of the grate to loosen up the fuel in contact therewith, said side walls having air passing openings therethrough, the grate body having a plurality of bars, and hook bolts engaging inl apertures of the side walls of the body and extending between the bars of the grate'and having detachable connection with the same.

GEORGE CLAYTON Known. 

